Dhaka: An Urban Reader

Dhaka is one of the world's megacities, yet relentless traffic, environmental deterioration, and poor governance pose critical living challenges for its inhabitants. Dhaka’s urban planning has failed to address important economic, environmental, and socio-cultural issues. Resource availability has only been considered a technical problem rather than a political issue, resulting in property resource-development conflicts and segregation reflected in deplorable living and environmental conditions of the poor and the displays of concentrated wealth and consumerism of the rich.

Planning and development decisions must be taken in the context of the builtscape’s cultural dynamics, with an understanding of the spatial interaction of local values and greater participation of residents. However, architects have seldom sought to aesthetically, symbolically, and ideologically interpret these relationships into socially relevant landscapes.

This book, a compilation of ten essays by urban experts, focuses on contemporary issues including the historical evolution of the built environment, cultural spaces, adaptation, urbanism, liveability, and urban design and planning. It also provides several examples of little-known, marginalized areas that will be of interest to more than just the architectural field.

Snapshot of Contents: 

1. Colonial Spatial Planning versus Local Tradition in the Morphology of Urban Dhaka / 2. Chawk Bazaar and Shankhari Bazaar: Morphology of Two Organically Developed Cultural Spaces of Old Dhaka / 3. Unplanned Development of a Planned Area: Encroachment and Physical Changes in Dhanmondi Residential Area / 4. Spatial Logic of Morphological Transformation: The Planned areas of Dhaka City in an Unplanned Context / 5. Preserving Old Buildings by Transformation of the Domestic Spaces: A Case for Old Dhaka / 6. The Changing Socio Spatial Structure of Retail Development in Rapidly Developing City 'Dhaka' / 7. The Multifaceted Social Structure of an Unrecognised Neighbourhood of Dhaka City: Experience from Karail Basti / 8. Urban Design and Quality of Life in Dhaka / 9. [RE]Structuring Dhaka through Water Urbanism: Visions, Challenges and Prospects / 10. Architectural Heritage in Dhaka: Legislations, Organisations and Governance Issues / Index / Contributors

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